IST-Africa 2026 Conference
IST-Africa 2026 is the annual Ministerial-level Technology Research and Innovation Conference, taking place from 25 to 29 May 2026 virtually. The conference brings together senior representatives from leading public, private, education and research organisations from 50 countries to discuss policy, share insight and identify collaboration opportunities across Europe, Africa and other parts of the world.
About the Conference
The IST-Africa Conference Series focuses on Information Society and ICT Policy Dialogues, International Development and Research Cooperation, and Community Building. Its goals are to:
- Support development of the Information Society and Knowledge Economy in Africa
- Promote international research innovation, and policy cooperation and coordination
- Showcase African research and innovation capacity
- Stimulate exploitation of research results by the public and private sectors
The programme incorporates Plenary Sessions and a Scientific Programme featuring presenters from public, private, education and research organisations across Europe, Africa and beyond.
Thematic Priorities
- Technology-enabled Healthcare (mHealth / eHealth)
- Technology-enhanced Learning and eSkills
- Technology-enabled Agriculture (mAgriculture / eAgriculture) and Environmental Sustainability
- Energy: ICT for Power Delivery and Micro-grids
- eInfrastructures and NRENs (National Research and Education Networks)
- Next Generation Computing including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Future Internet and Internet of Things (IoT)
- eGovernment and Public Service Delivery
- Content Technologies including Languages and Digital Preservation
- Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust
- Collaborative Open Innovation and Technology-enabled Entrepreneurship (including Social Entrepreneurship)
- Global Development (including ICT4D)
- Societal Implications of Technology
Registration and Fees
All participants are responsible for sourcing funding to cover their registration costs. The conference fee includes participation in all plenary and parallel sessions and conference proceedings. Please click here to see the prices.
Contact and Registration
To register, visit the IST-Africa portal. Existing IST-Africa Community Members should log in using their existing profile. New users should register as a new user on the portal.